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April 27, 2026 - Community, Connection, and a Vibrant Spring in Madison

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Dear Neighbors,

I hope you are enjoying the warmer weather and the signs of spring across our community. As we continue through April, there are many important updates, meetings, and opportunities to get involved here in District 7 and across the City.

Last week was a great reminder of what makes Madison such a special place to live, work, and serve. As spring continues to energize our city, I had the opportunity to connect with many residents, participate in community events, and stay engaged with important city discussions shaping our future.

A Weekend Full of Energy and Community

This past weekend truly showcased the spirit of Madison. Downtown was alive with activity from the excitement of the Crazylegs Classic to the return of the Farmers' Market, the vibrant Mifflin St. Block Party, and multiple Earth Day celebrations across the city.

One of the highlights for me was participating in the Save Soil Walkathon, where I had the honor of helping kick off the event with the flag. It was inspiring to stand alongside Sun Prairie Mayor Steve Stocker and so many community members committed to environmental sustainability and awareness. Events like this remind us how powerful collective action can be when we come together for a shared cause.

Save Soil Walkathon
Image credit: Badri Lankella
Save Soil Walkathon
Image credit: Badri Lankella

🏘️ Neighborhood Engagement

I'm grateful for the opportunity to stay connected with our neighborhoods and hear directly from residents.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the Ice Age Falls Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting, and I was happy to be part of a thoughtful and engaging community discussion. These conversations are invaluable in helping shape our priorities and ensuring your voices are heard.

I also had the pleasure of attending the Westhaven Trail Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting last week. I want to sincerely thank the association for inviting me, it was wonderful to meet so many neighbors, hear directly about their priorities, and see the strong sense of community involvement.

It was especially encouraging to see residents actively engaged in discussions around neighborhood issues and public safety, with Madison Police Department chief & staff present to provide updates and answer questions. These kinds of conversations are essential to building trust, strengthening relationships, and ensuring our neighborhoods remain safe and connected.

🌟 Lunch & Learn with the Mayor

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of you for attending our recent District 7 Lunch & Learn sessions. Your participation made these sessions truly meaningful and impactful.

It was a very interactive event, filled with thoughtful questions, engaging discussions, and informative responses. I greatly appreciate the time each of you took to join, share your perspectives, and contribute to the conversation. Your engagement is what makes these sessions successful and helps ensure we are addressing the topics that matter most to our community.

A special thank you to the Mayor for taking the time to connect directly with residents and provide valuable insights on key issues affecting our city.

Please continue to share your questions, ideas, and feedback. I also welcome suggestions for future Lunch & Learn sessions, including topics or City departments you would like to hear from. These sessions are designed for you, and your input helps guide what we focus on next.

🏛️ Boards, Commissions, and Committee Meetings

Note: This is not a complete list of meetings for this upcoming week. All meetings and their details can be found at the Meeting Schedule page.

If you would like more information about becoming a member of a City board, commission, or committee, please visit the page linked here.

📣 Public Information Meetings

  • Public Information Meeting - Eastmorland Park, Thursday, April 30: At this meeting City staff will present revised playground equipment options from manufacturers and seek input from the neighborhood. Attend the meeting to let City staff know which options you like best.
  • Public Input Meeting - Odana Hills Golf Course and Park, Thursday, April 30: The City of Madison Parks Division is excited to announce a new partnership with Michael and Jocelyn Keiser and the Madison Parks Foundation. Through the Keisers' philanthropic vision and generous donation, there is an opportunity to reimagine, redesign and reconstruct Odana Hills Golf Course. As part of the planning process, the community is invited to provide input.

🌎 Planning & Sustainability Updates

  • The City is updating the All Ages and Abilities (AAA) Bike Network Plan, creating a long-term vision for safe and accessible biking infrastructure
  • Continued efforts are underway to strengthen sustainability, transportation, and community planning initiatives across Madison

📰 Announcements and News

  • Street Closures for Mifflin Street Block Party: Multiple downtown streets will be closed on Saturday, April 25th, for the Mifflin Street Block Party. This is an unpermitted event, and the Madison Police Department will be closing some streets to ensure the safety of those attending. [posted April 23, 2026]
  • Street Closures for Crazylegs: Many downtown streets will be closed on Saturday morning, April 25th, for the University of Wisconsin's 44th Annual Crazylegs Classic run/walk. Street closures will begin at 9:45 am with race start times staggered to accommodate the walk… [posted April 23, 2026]
  • Safety plans in place for Mifflin Street Block Party: MADISON, Wis. – Multiple city agencies are working together ahead of this year's Mifflin Street Block Party. Around 10,000 people are expected to attend the annual celebration. Building Inspection building inspectors started checking the area in… [posted April 23, 2026]
  • Food Scraps Recycling Drop-off Returns to Madison Eastside Farmers' Market on Tuesday, April 28, 2026: Free food scraps recycling drop-off returns to the Madison Eastside Farmers' Market for the 2026 season! The first date food scraps will be accepted is Tuesday, April 28, 2026.Look for the free food scraps drop-off to drop off your coffee… [posted April 22, 2026]
  • The Recycle Better Class Returns for 2026: The City of Madison Streets Division has partnered again with Sustain Dane to offer the Recycle Better class. The first class begins on May 6, 2026.By taking the recycling workshop, you can help your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers learn… [posted April 22, 2026]
  • MPD hosting series of community conversations on public safety: MADISON, Wis. — The Madison Police Department is hosting a series of town hall meetings in every patrol district across the city. The goal is to directly connect community members with the officers and commanders who serve their neighborhood. [posted April 21, 2026]
  • Alder Sabrina Madison and Alder Carmella Glenn Will Serve as New Council Leadership: Today, the Madison Common Council smoothly transitioned to new leadership with a single nomination for both President and Vice President. Outgoing President Alder Regina Vidaver nominated Alder Sabrina Madison from District 17 for President, and… [posted April 21, 2026]
  • Earth Day Events This Weekend: This weekend join Madison Parks in celebrating Earth Day across the city. [posted April 21, 2026]
  • Public Memorandum and Press Statement: Formal Response to Documented Misinformation, Continued Opposition to Proposed Ordinance Amendments to MGO 5.19 and 5.20 and Formal Notice of Active Violations of MGO 5.19(6)(b). [posted April 21, 2026]
  • Full Closure of South Broom Street Starting on April 23: North Shore Drive will fully reopen by 5:00 pm on Wednesday, April 22. The following morning, Thursday, April 23 at 5:00 am, South Broom Street will fully close between W Wilson Street and John Nolen Drive.  [posted April 21, 2026]
  • Common Council Welcomes New Members Committed to Serving Madison's Future: On Tuesday, April 21, the Madison Common Council is excited to welcome two new alders: District 8 Alder-Elect Ellen Zhang and District 14 Alder-Elect Noah Lieberman! Both successfully won their campaigns in the spring election on April 7, 2026. [posted April 20, 2026]
  • Public Art Installations continue at Madison Public Market: When these installations are complete, the Madison Public Market will showcase a vibrant collection of public art that reflect the diverse voices, histories, and cultures of the Madison community. [posted April 20, 2026]
  • City-Wide WE READ Youth Voices Writing Contest Returns May 1[posted April 20, 2026]

Please visit the City news webpage to find additional news and announcements and to subscribe to receive notification of news releases as they are posted.

🎉 Community Events

  • An Evening with SPD, Tuesday, April 28, 2026: Meet the officers serving the south side of Madison during this town hall discussion. South District Captain Harrison Zanders and Madison Police Chief John Patterson will be available to answer questions and address community concerns about public safety.
  • Virtual Open House | District 15 Parks, Wednesday, April 29: Madison Parks is holding a series of virtual public input sessions for the Southeast Park Development Plan process coinciding with the City Planning Division's Southeast Area Plan. The meetings will include an overview of the planning effort's goals, a review of the neighborhood parks included, and an opportunity for area residents and park visitors to share their thoughts on future park improvements. The engagement sessions are organized by alder district, and the second series of meetings will focus on the neighborhood parks in District 15.
  • MPD Presentation: Demonstrations and Assemblies, Wednesday, April 29: The Madison Police Department is hosting a presentation on a person's rights during assemblies and demonstrations. Part of these presentations will cover the ever-evolving Madison Method, which is the department's nationally recognized philosophy for policing large events, crowds and protests.
  • Envision Downtown Madison Public Open House, Thursday, April 30: Envision Downtown Madison is a strategic partnership between the City of Madison and Downtown Madison, Inc. that will guide the future of Downtown through two documents – the new Greater Downtown Economic Investment Strategy and the City's update to the Downtown Area Plan. Join Envision Downtown Madison on April 30th between 5:00 and 7:30pm at the Madison Municipal Building to discuss the draft Shared Vision and Big Moves for the Envision Downtown Madison joint planning effort. Registration prior to attending is requested.
  • Great Strides Madison, Saturday, May 2: Join Great Strides Madison for a day of celebration, community and fun! Bring hope and joy to those affected by CF and work towards a future where everyone can breathe easier. 

Additional upcoming events can also be found on the City events calendar.

🚧 Looking Ahead

As we move toward the end of April, we will continue to see:

  • Increased construction and infrastructure activity
  • More community engagement opportunities
  • Continued focus on sustainability and neighborhood investment

I will keep sharing updates that matter most to District 7.

Stay Connected

As always, I appreciate hearing from you, your feedback, ideas, and questions help guide the work we do at the Council. If your neighborhood association would like to host a meeting or discussion, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for staying engaged and for being part of what makes Madison such a strong and connected community.

Warm regards,
Badri Lankella
Alder, District 7
City of Madison

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Portrait of Alder Badri Lankella

Alder Badri Lankella

District 7
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